Ricardo Larrivée

A household name in Quebec, Ricardo Larrivée has also become quite well known throughout the rest of Canada with his hit show Ricardo & Friends on Food Network Canada and his book Weekend Cooking. In his home province, Ricardo's daily cooking show has the highest ratings of all morning programs on Radio-Canada and is now in its 7th season. 

Ricardo's career began in the hospitality industry in the 1980s, but the daily grind of restaurant work failed to satisfy his culinary inventiveness and his exuberant personality. He began to think about radio and television and was soon working for Radio-Canada in Saskatchewan. A gracious host, he used his spare time to prepare both simple and elaborate dishes for his colleagues, and his expertise soon earned him the position of food reporter out of Radio-Canada in Regina. 

Combining his two passions, Ricardo returned to Quebec where he shared his enthusiasm and his recipes while working as a food reporter for television and radio. He also delighted readers with his column in the lifestyle pages of the Montreal daily La Presse. 

Often called "Quebec's answer to Jamie Oliver," Ricardo has made quite an impact on Canadian audiences. Making his first contact with English audiences in 2006 with a Food & Lifestyle report on HomeRun, a CBC Montreal afternoon radio show hosted by Bernard St-Laurent. In reference to his TV persona, St- Laurent said of Ricardo, "His warmth, humour, charisma, and ability to connect with his guests and the audience come across immediately on the screen." Ricardo's second English book was Ricardo: Meals for Every Occasion. The French edition of this book experienced great success selling over 50,000 copies.

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